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At the start of WW II there were still plenty of Best Bitters, brewed to a decent gravity.

Shepherd Neame PA is an example of such a beer. It had been brewed to around this strength since 1920, when things had started to get back to normal again after the turmoil of WW I.

The recipe is slightly more complicated than it looks as there were two types of pale malt used: one from UK barley and the other from Californian barley. The latter formed about 20% of the total. The small quantity of malt extract I assume is there to provide enzymes. It wasn’t unusual in grists of the period.

The hops are a total guess. I know nothing other than that they were English and from the 1937, 1938 and 1930 seasons. I’ve reduced the amount in the recipe to take into account the age of the hops. There’s no mention of dry-hopping in the brewing record, but I’m sure a draught Best Bitter like this would have been. The quarter ounce I’ve specified is the minimum amount that would have been employed.

It’s possible that there was some colour correction with caramel after primary fermentation.